The Woolworth, the restaurant and cocktail bar nestled in the heart of downtown Dallas, announces it has reopened to the public after closing for renovations and a menu revamp. The Woolworth is owned and operated by HattenLuke Hospitality Group and is located at 1520 Elm Street, STE 201, Dallas, TX 75201.
After a decade of serving the Dallas community, Partner and Chief Experience Officer of HattenLuke Hospitality Group, Brandon Luke, is excited to reintroduce the concept to locals and visitors alike. “Our intention with the new updates is to return to the roots of what made us thrive when we first opened in 2013, while continuing to elevate our menu to push the boundaries on what our guests have come to know and love about us over the past 10 years. We are ready to start a new chapter and can’t wait to show you what we have in store” said Brandon in a statement.
The culinary program is led by Chef Ronald Von Hatten, Partner and Head Chef of the HattenLuke Hospitality Group. “The Woolworth has always been a great place to grab cocktails with friends over shared bites, but with the revitalized space we wanted to offer a more robust menu where our guests could enjoy a full dinner featuring internationally inspired fare,” says Chef Von Hatten.
He adds, “I think our guests will notice an even greater attention to quality with the transformation of this new menu, and we look forward to continuing to introduce inventive presentations and flavor profiles to our menu, while still preserving some old favorites from the past.”
Among the new dishes added to the menu is the Salmon Crudo, which is a sockeye salmon topped with pickled shallots and citrus vinaigrette, and the Lobster “Rangoon” Spring Roll. Other menu items include the Italian Flatbread with pecan smoked mozzarella, soppressata, and a drizzle of spicy copra nectar, the Coffee Rub Lamb Pops with balsamic cabernet reduction, and the Duck Duck Tot, which is a truffle tater tot lightly fried in duck fat with cheese curds, crispy duck confit, duck gravy, and topped with a sunny-side-up duck egg.
Luke points out, “The true labor of love on the menu is the “101” Pork Belly Crackling. Chef Von Hatten marinates the Red Top Farms Berkshire pork belly with brown sugar, fennel seed, black pepper, and allspice for 48 hours before smoking it low and slow for eight hours. He then sous vides the pork belly for 21 hours at 68 degrees Celsius and air-dries it for an additional 24 hours before deep-frying it crispy in peanut oil and serving it with star anise reduction. It truly is a stand out dish.”
Other new entrees include Veal Saltimbocca; Grilled Halibut with wild rice pilaf, roasted red pepper coulis, and pea-shoot pesto; Pan-Roasted Airline Chicken with Oregon morel mushrooms; or the “Lazy Man’s” Cioppino made with traditional tomato broth, seafood, mussels, clams, scallops, calamari, market fish, jumbo lump crabmeat, jumbo grilled prawns, and crusty grilled French bread.
The premiere addition to the menu is the premium Linz Heritage Angus Reserve beef, which is seared over a bed of post oak and cherry wood before being finished with sea salt, tellicherry peppercorns, and truffle oil. Guests can choose from cuts like hanger, filet mignon, ribeye, and dry-aged porterhouse (45-day aged) and add finishing touches like a Blue Cheese Crust or Oscar Style with grilled asparagus, jumbo lump crab, and lemon-scented hollandaise. Enhancements include lobster mac & cheese, crispy Brussels sprouts, rosemary garlic fries, or white truffle cheddar polenta.
The Woolworth welcomes Christian Rodriguez as Lead Bar Chef, joining the team from Tispy Alchemist to spearhead the cocktail program at the newly revamped downtown Dallas watering hole. Rodriguez was born in San Miguel De Allende and raised in Dallas, and began his hospitality career at 18 years old as a busser and food runner. He immediately fell in love with the fast paced yet carefully orchestrated world that the hospitality industry offered and eventually climbed the restaurant ranks to bartender. His mixology experience has landed him behind the bar at some of the most renowned Dallas cocktail lounges such as The Standard Pour and Tipsy Alchemist, and restaurants outside of Texas including NYC, SF and Chicago.
A sampling of new cocktails include libations such as Yoga Pants – coconut fat washed vodka, monk fruit, basil, citrus, coconut water; Monkey Business – Applejack Brandy, banana honey, vanilla almond cream, Angostura, espresso foam; Sea Dog – London Dry Gin, Giffard Apricot, house orgeat, black walnut bitters, saline, Angostura; Aloha Beaches – rum, Crème de Cacao, Hibiscus Peychaud’s Aperitivo, Coco Lopez, citrus; The Geisha – Suntory Toki, Chai Blanc Vermouth, cardamom-dandelion, fennel and orange bitters; Black Magic – bourbon, Averna, “Black Magic”, saline.
Zero-proof cocktails are also available including Tequila Temperance made with Ritual Tequila, banana honey, citrus, Coco Lopez; and Strawberry Fields Forever, a concoction of Ritual Gin, strawberry mint, citrus, ginger beer.
Luke adds, “We are excited to open our doors again and for the community to come experience our slice of downtown that you can’t get anywhere else in Dallas.”
Other enhancements to the space include an expanded private dining room which has been renovated to accommodate larger groups of up to 50 people. Additionally, valet is available at Elm Street directly underneath The Woolworth building signage.
The Woolworth is located at 1520 Elm Street, STE 201 Dallas, TX 75201 and is open MON – THUR: 11AM – 12 AM, FRI: 11AM – 12AM, SAT: 10AM – 12AM and closed on Sunday.
